Feeling old...

If you ever decide to join the local women's cricket team out of the blue, just bear in mind that walking the dog does not equal fitness for the job!

Ow, ow and ow. I don't think there is a part of my body that isn't suffering after yesterday's debut! My ring finger won't bend after an awkward catch (sadly not taken during the match but as a result of a very strenuous warm up). My left ankle has a swelling the size of a tennis ball. I'm not even sure how that happened but I did some sprinting which is probably not sensible after such a long absence from sport in general.

Apart from the aches and pains I did enjoy myself very much. Cricket wasn't one of my serious sports when I was younger but I wish it had been. I did athletics quite seriously for a number of years, golf came later. I loved Hockey and Netball at school. I never turned down an offer to play squash or badminton. Cricket was only ever a garden or beach thing really. Apart from being plonked in the under 19s county girls squad for Sussex when I was 15 and feeling totally out of my depth!

I had a quick crash course from Jake the day before. One of the handiest things he taught me was how to block. I wish I had put that into action when the time came instead of panicking and trying to hit a Yorker! I smacked one ball for two runs and got two singles too. I was a bit annoyed with myself because I know I could have done much better, but as M said, it has been 29 years since I last played in a match!

Fielding was absolutely tiring. I ran here there and everywhere picking up the whacking great shots the opponents were playing. I shouldn't really have been running from fine leg to fine leg but I didn't want to mention it, me being the newcomer. I was happy to be in a position where the team could make use of my ability to throw a long way. The last match I watched them play it took them three fielders to get the ball back to the stumps!

It's pretty much the end of the season now so I have plans to step up the fitness levels over the winter and then join next years training sessions. This time I was only making up the numbers. What finally persuaded me I wouldn't make an idiot of myself was knowing that they had three grandmothers on the team! Not that the grandmothers made idiots of themselves!

Meanwhile, I am recovering in the garden with my ankle raised on a cushion, undertaking a pastime that is definitely more suited to my fitness levels...